Paige Blades, the woman at the heart of the love‑triangle story behind the 2013 murder of Wapato middle school art teacher Desiree Sunford, is again in the spotlight as Dateline and other outlets revisit the case. Blades was in a relationship with Scott Sunford, Desiree’s husband, at the time of her death, and her role in the triangle has drawn intense scrutiny.
Where Paige Blades is now
A recent feature in The Cinemaholic, written by journalist Jules Tan claimed that Paige Blades still lives in the Yakima County area of Washington State. Over the years, Blades has stayed largely out of the public eye since the trial of Marty Grismer, the man who killed Desiree. She also avoids interviews and direct media coverage. She has remained a private figure who has not spoken publicly about the case.
Her role in the Marty Grismer story
In 2013, Desiree Sunford was found shot to death in the home she shared with her husband, Scott, in Moxee, Washington. The investigation linked her friend and Scott’s girlfriend, Paige Blades, to the case. A prosecutor quoted in local reports said that “Marty Grismer was in love with Paige Blades and saw Desiree as the barrier to being with her.”
Marty Grismer was convicted of second‑degree murder in 2018 after taking an Alford plea and sentenced to 15 years in prison at Washington State Penitentiary. Reportedly, the prosecutors alleged that his motivations behind the murder was his infatuation with Paige Blades.
Fans and public reaction
Fans of Dateline and true‑crime podcasts have posted about Blades’ role on Reddit and X. One viewer on a r/TrueCrimeDiscussion thread wrote, “The way Paige is tied to both Scott and Marty makes this case feel like a horror‑movie triangle.” Another user on X added, “She’s the one person who walked away from that mess alive and mostly off‑screen.”
Currently, Paige Blades continues to live in Washington, away from the spotlight, while the story of Desiree Sunford’s murder and Marty Grismer’s conviction continue to gather attention as a true‑crime coverage.